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CITY OF PITTSBURGH WILL CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2005 DATE: October 14, 2005 The City of Pittsburgh announces that it will celebrate Halloween on Monday, October 31, 2005. The official hours for Trick or Treating for the City of Pittsburgh are from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM. In an effort to ensure the safety of children participating in Trick or Treating, City of Pittsburgh Public Safety personnel will be stationed throughout the City’s neighborhoods during the official hours of Trick or Treating. In addition to a full complement of police patrolling City neighborhoods, all 29 fire houses will be open as additional safety zones and EMS personnel will be placed at various locations throughout the City as an added precautionary measure. All candy or other items collected during Trick or Treating should be properly inspected by an adult prior to consumption. Anyone who collects candy or any other item during Trick or Treating that they feel uncomfortable with or uncertain about can give it to any City Public Safety personnel on duty for proper disposal. MAYOR MURPHY AND SUPERINTENDENT THOMPSON ANNOUNCE HOMEWOOD SCHOOL SAFETY INITIATIVE November 18, 2004 Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy and Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent John Thompson met today to develop strategies to ensure the safety of school children in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Following the meeting, Superintendent Thompson and Mayor Murphy issued a joint statement outlining their shared strategy to address safety issues around public schools in the Homewood area. “First and foremost, we must all recognize that violence and crime are down significantly everywhere in our City, including in Homewood. In fact, to date the crime rate in Homewood for 2004 is below the crime rate for 2003. All told, crime has been reduced in Homewood by 10% during the past few years.” “However, we all agree that one crime in our neighborhoods is one too many and that any violence that places our children in harm's way is simply unacceptable. We also understand that crime statistics do not always mirror the perception of the community.” Therefore, the City of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Public Schools have come together to develop a strategy for combating violence around the public schools in the Homewood neighborhood. As a result of the meeting today, the following initiative is being implemented: * City of Pittsburgh Police will increase their uniform officer presence during school hours; * City of Pittsburgh traffic officers will strictly enforce all traffic laws in and around public schools in Homewood; * Pittsburgh Public Schools Police will add an additional uniformed patrol unit during school hours; * The City Bureau of Building Inspection will identify any vacant, abandoned buildings, which can blight a neighborhood and become an attractive nuisance, and prioritize those structures for demolition in 2005; * The City of Pittsburgh Weed & Seed Steering Committee will convene a community discussion with the parents, community leaders, law enforcement, the Homewood Brushton Public Safety Task Force and other important stakeholders in the Homewood community to ensure the safety of our children; * Pittsburgh Public Schools will increase its involvement with the Weed & Seed Program, working as a partner to develop strategies and solutions to keeping the Homewood community safe; * Pittsburgh Public Schools will recruit representatives of community and faith based organizations to serve on the Homewood Brushton Public Safety Task Force and work with the City of Pittsburgh Weed & Seed Program.